do u get scared to play new good players in a pickup game?

[Burgz]

nah, I usually play really hard. People say I have always hustled a lot but it is just because I hate to lose.

But, if Im playing bums I don't go as hard because it is those type of people that hurt you. I also hate being guarded by midgets, it just isnt fun for me.

i know what you mean, it can seem hard to play against people at a lower level
but honestly it doesn't help their game if you go easy on them.

If I am faced with the situation of playing against people at a significantly lower level, i either dont play or try to work on something in my game that especially needs work

I agree with you, playing hard should always be a given but it is sometimes hard to do so without looking like an ass lol

[Rake2204]

i know what you mean, it can seem hard to play against people at a lower level
but honestly it doesn't help their game if you go easy on them.

If I am faced with the situation of playing against people at a significantly lower level, i either dont play or try to work on something in my game that especially needs work

I agree with you, playing hard should always be a given but it is sometimes hard to do so without looking like an ass lol

I see where you're coming from, but I like basketball too much to not play or try less against players on a lower level. Of course, I guess it all depends upon what we both mean when we say "lower level". Obviously, if it's a bunch of fifth graders, it'd get weird and I wouldn't go hard. But against normal aged people who are all trying to compete and win, I figure it'd be more disrespectful to act as if I'm not trying my hardest than it would be to play hard and dominate.

I agree with the idea of working on things that need it though. I use those games where I'm head and shoulders above the competition to experiment and implement new maneuvers in hopes of carrying them over into the higher quality games.

[JellyBean]

Nope. It just makes me play harder.

[OmniStrife]

The better the contest, the better I play...
So I love me a challenge.

[tontoz]

No. It all boils down to how you feel about your game. If you are confident in your game then it doesn't matter who is on the court with you.

I was playing in a casual game one time and Tony Massenburg was on the other team. Nobody wanted to guard him so i took him (Im 6'2"). On one play i posted him up under the basket and of course he didn't try to deny position. Why would he? Then i did an up and under that faked him out of his shoes and everyone started laughing. He was saying "good move" in mid-air.

He almost knocked me out with a dunk. It was an outdoor court with no net and i just barely dodged it. Whew.

[thejumpa]

Nervous? Yeah, especially if you know the guy is a baller. Scared? Nah. It makes the game that much more fun. Especially if you just happen to score on them or something.

[EoJ]

nope, i love it. I'm 6'1 and I choose to guard the biggest, fastest guys.

[thatoneblackguy]

only if they are black i get a little nervous

[inclinerator]

i befriend them, then crush them when they think they are my friend (sounds familiar?)

[GOBB]

I'm just decent....but get scared. Anyone else?

No heart, thanks for telling me. I rather play with 4 players if I had the last pick and I saw you standing there.

[IGOTGAME]

honestly, I don't I would ever be scared on a ball court. If Kobe showed up I'd be the first one calling to guard him. I'd also

[GOBB]

honestly, I don't I would ever be scared on a ball court. If Kobe showed up I'd be the first one calling to guard him. I'd also

Good luck with that.

[IGOTGAME]

Good luck with that.

what's to be scared of. You go out there and ball. Nothing bad can happen. I have guarded elite talents before and it is a fun experience. Being scared on bball court is foreign to me...

[GOBB]

what's to be scared of. You go out there and ball. Nothing bad can happen. I have guarded elite talents before and it is a fun experience. Being scared on bball court is foreign to me...

You can get Mamba'd, I'm good. I'll guard Derek Fisher instead.

[alwaysunny]

I was never scared of playing basketball with better players, but football for me was on a whole another level because it's a full contact sport. I played with college players one time and it was as if they can sense weakness on the field. They let scrubs like me get open on purpose just so they can tackle the shit out of us. It was all fun but I was literally beaten up afterwards. Basketball is really nothing compared to this.

No heart, thanks for telling me. I rather play with 4 players if I had the last pick and I saw you standing there.

damn you're brutal